1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to frozen surfaces, as used for skating and, more particularly, to a kit which facilitates the formation of a frozen surface.
2. Background Art
Ice skating remains a popular activity. In spite of this, there exist a fairly limited number of public facilities which are available for year round or seasonal skating. These facilities typically have indoor and/or outdoor rinks, with the indoor rinks being equipped with systems for forming and maintaining ice at virtually any temperature. These facilities have limited capacity and are commonly not only difficult to access, but expensive to rent.
To cater to a larger skating audience, it is known to prepare frozen skating surfaces in public parks. One method of doing this is to accumulate fallen snow into a border and then to flood the region within the border directly over grass or dirt.
The above method has a number of drawbacks. First of all, there must be an accumulation of snow sufficient to form the border before the frozen surface can be formed. Once the snow has accumulated to a sufficient height, it is typically relocated using relatively heavy plows. Movement of the snow through the plows may result in damage to the underlying grass or other surface.
A further problem, which has been aggravated by recent environmental conditions, is that this type of system may require a significant amount of ongoing maintenance, particularly in the event that the ambient temperature elevates to above freezing for extended periods. It is not uncommon in the prime winter months, throughout the Midwest where temperatures are generally cold, for temperatures to range between subzero and 50-60.degree. F. within a relatively short time period. With the elevated temperatures, the waterfor the frozen surface may not only melt but migrate into the ground. Similarly, the snow border may diminish. The border may have to be constructed and the water replenished periodically, which may be too inconvenient and expensive to be practical in most venues.
The same problems are contended with in attempting to form a frozen surface for skating on private property. Additionally, private home owners contend with the problem of leakage of unrestrained water into buildings or against other objects on their premises.